K(y T j 'I lf iritiv c TJL ri v a t o r . 
•140 
im.ant;\tion iivuikm?. 
^ ft/ lilt/ JO.UN ok AUGUSTA, OA. 
Thk word Uyf/mK^ifp derived from the Greek ‘^uciea,’' 
meaning health, and consists j'n proj>er)y carrying out 
fiuch rrieasures in our daily vocation as are ctilculated to 
prevent the causes of disease from . acting, deleferiously 
on the human system. it may Ijc de'fipcd ‘hjie art of 
jireserving healtn," so that any remarks made on such a 
subject would naturally ftre-suppose a knowledge of those 
laws that govern tjic animal economy in the state of health;; 
such, in medical language, is termed Physiology, , Having 
made such department of science (combined with ugricul- 
rtuya). pursuits,) nrjy study for tpor^g than twenty years, and 
having, during that time, ijcen sj)u^ted In different .sec- 
tions of country, on different varieties of soiT, wLere dis^ 
curses of a divensified character prevail, and where rhany 
obtjervaiions of a practical nature ( have thought werh 
made, enbtddens me on the present occasion. to offer these 
reflections, and here 1 remark that it is not spcculutivfc 
tlicory, but deliberate amclvsions to which I am led after 
a careful and longinvysligation of the principlcsofhygiene, 
based oh observation t^nd experiment, .as it ought to be 
conducted on a plantation, that I propose to ofler to this 
, (Society. 
“The importance of hygiene has ever been recogni/.ed 
by mankind., Tp, none is a thorough knowledge of its 
, princi]jlei| more useful than to those persons whose avo- 
^cutloh it. is t(i till the earth, and y(;t, jierhups, by none 
,is an acquii ement of such more neglected. If ^to, be ini- 
formed on the hultject of Vr:getuble Cheml.stry is neoes^ 
fi:\icy to enable the. agrirpalturi.st to rai.se, surely a know-‘ 
ledge of VitaJ Chemistry i.s neces.sary.to the rnaintainance 
of the animal raised. 'J'be laws which govern the func- 
tion.** of org* ns wjihip (heir bodies, ilien should be studied 
by farmer.^, that they may be aide to e<,iiiiiatc (•orrectIy|, 
not only the impres-simis rnade^but Ijie cause m.aking .such 
impressions iij)on their own and (j!her,bodic,s around 
t^vrOt i,S itof)o.ss,ible to enjoy urtintcrrujhcfl licahh and 
at the same time to b,e ignorant of the ,1a w.: and mature 
O.nddocal|ty of the agents calculated to (leteriorate it!” j 
lo;ig qs fiu mcr.** ,arc ignorant and indifferent oh this 
-aubject, so Iqng vyill they have need j’or the “Hoct,or and' 
,hJs,quuscous Drugs.” . . . 
, ,1 have noti'-efl (danters, among wbos(v funlly I prac- 
4,iCe4 n'y profession, conic every year to me to get a list of 
(arnily supp'ie.s of mcdtcine, and who kept tfieir medicine- 
chest, and who devolgd muali oftlKdr. time toi iln: perusal of 
lOvvefg Mpdicul C’ompanimi, llmdimi and Gunn’.s Donies- 
*if.ic l^facticc of Medicine,' particularly in ferdlcnco to tlie 
’remedlartrciftmenli of their negfocs ; but ‘wMm' ti’cgrccfed 
m a lurncntaldc manner 'to' ae.ijuaiht thcmsclvcf} wi'th tliy 
r.o.k^c$, of their ma'ndlcs- -ah iideqiuitc km)’\l;lcd^c of which 
. would enable them to keep f licir bands ‘in ’ the field— and 
'avohr’tbuf solicifude always attending “domestic ireat- 
Viftnt,” an(l save th'e'subjccl'thehisclvcs hnucli irnn'CcCssary 
■'suffering. ' ’ ' ' m i 
'i'liat “an ounce of prevention is wohlT a finuml of cure,!’ 
k.'t* iDuliful saying; anti nCV^r wa<f iW apfilicdbik 
' it, y rhore correctly puidbfth (liah in thh prev'e'htitih ofdi.s!- 
Tlie pihserVation of the ht filth o) Ouf si ives ;ind 
dUr own, family sb()ulp'’bc a priiViary' consideration With 
firrmVrs. Their festdratiph lo liculih when diseased, a 
se^j^ondaryWme. ' | 
As Southern planter.^, out:, capital. copgist very mueih ih 
our HhiV,c projtei ty^. and any means that could be devised 
,lo jc rider ,lt fnnkt .valiViible, that wobid Cria hie us to realize 
"rciitcsf profit on the capital' invei^tcd, wd thinlc ough 
'ipklyservu our .serloiVs conskleYatiort.'' Thfh it is mo.stoli 
*v|Q’iy^ third if TrcserVatlon' of jhidh hcattb, h'y ‘Which thj 
original' stamTna"(1(' If cdh'^tiin'tion i.s''prdscn/ed tin' ■ 
«vem tiio prolongation of life is attained, 
basis of such an end ; and furthermore we would 'urge the 
principles on the scale of humanity. Providence in. His 
wisdom has .seen fit to cast their Jot among us as servants, 
and as .servdntsthey should be treated, not as felons. Aivho 
had violated our Penal Code of Law, and were sentenced, 
to spend their few days at the bench of soi.-ie needle-grinder 
or in the quarry of a stone-cutter. 'i'hU'., on the principle 
of humanity, as well as interest, does it la hoove tlie South 
ern planters — .slaveowners — v/ho have the managetnent of 
negroes, to institute, on all proper occusions, an inquiry 
as to the rauses of their maladies, and when ascertained to 
adopt such measure, s or course of policy as sliall be deem 
ed best to remove them *, or if this be impracticable, to 
render them harmless. And while investigating such 
causes we would not confine oursel ves tn ..such ns produce 
active and dangerous maladies, but even to those of h 
chronic character and such as affect tin ir j) rncrev iix'C n:- 
loJion$%ip-^ for the raising a family of young negroes or. a 
plantation is an important item of iniMc^i oiujur capital. 
We have for years found most female.-? rnat were barren 
or unfruitful on a plantation, rendered m. by injudicious, 
management at some period of - tin it fife— violating the 
laws ofPhysiolbgy. 
LOCAI.ri'Y. 
It is a well ascertained fact that particular locationrjhave 
their peculiar disea.ses. As for instance, miasmatic dis- 
tricts, with red day soil (such as suit the cotton plant 
vycll) will be visited annually wiih cliills and fever; bili- 
ous remittent and continued, and when such places'’ are 
adjacent to or surrounded by .stagnant pools, the bilibus 
attacks will put on a more malignant type — such aS con- 
gestive or typhoid — followed afierwards wth 'liver de- 
ra'ngement, enlurgVnient ofthe spleen and iiif'ractiori.^ bf 
so'rnc of the abdominal vicera. So, likewise, stiff clay 
s(jil, river Ijottom land, with pvtdific growth ofcypre'Ss-'ddg- 
wood and riioss will be' visited With similar fliseaifes as 
ilic above with tlie addition of pneumonia, pk-ufti^’ and 
rheutnatic disorders during winter months, Irom the eir- 
cumstane'e, that they have an abundant source g? ma- 
larial exhalations to produce such diseases as inalaiYal dis 
Iricts generate, i’hcy are low, damp and partially cover- 
ed with poqls of water during winter months, and donse- 
(juentl'y htivc combined to the above prolific cahse-'of 
disease a soil and atmosphere; then by keep- 
ing in check for day.s and weeks together one ol ihc'inost 
important furretibns of the animal economy, viz: Perspr- 
ratinn, both .Sensible and insensible. Now, tlic import 
ancedf thi^ one vital function When viewed in retcrtmce 
to hygiene, m'ay Le inferi’ed wJien we state that Physiolo- 
gists h.ive decided that two-fifths ofthe ingesta taken into 
ihc’.stomach passes ofi by insensible perspiration through 
the skin. When' this is over-abundant and collects, on 
the surface it iY tei med sweat. ' « 
From the above estahli.shed fact, all Pathologists agree 
that it iSa matter of very great importance to presarve.ibc 
natural re'la'xation of the skin, “to keep the ])oi’es-"open.” 
'fheskin being it large organ, receives its supply of blood 
froth tlic heart and large blood vessels. But suppose .sot ne 
accidental iiccumulation oh circumstance occurs tivrtit:on 
stiicts the vessels distributed upon it, then as a matter, of 
course this fluid (the blond) mitst be forced into yessels 
less eohstricted, and these in silch cases are usually :tl;c 
internal viscera'; hence Congeslmi, that justly .dreaded 
condition which is bften found. Here must be'Seeivoita 
glance the great importance of appropriate dress. ^ (.^’lan 
nb|. next' the skin, wo.olen clothes, thick-soled aho§a.^,and 
socks, and warm. bedding, to prevent such conditio;} . as 
such a locality is so much cairulated. to _ produce., Ijigh, 
dry and level countries of a sandy loam soil, gro^wt^h qqn 
aisiing Of (Pinus.Pulusuis, Quercus/ihecoinmon \ioc,^gid 
bla’ek jac'lcysuch aa may oe found about midway ,bet\v;j"^ti 
■Iho' sea4jbard and .Kioujatain, have ultjo their 
